This might be a dumb question so please bare with me. But what is the difference between iMFP and an Omega device? And is an Omega device a better print management device for Xerox than iMFP? The reason why I ask is that it's very tedious for our employees to type in their LDAP credentials into the Omega device, and while the card swipe is a good option, we're in the middle of trying to get new RFID cards approved for all of our staff. I don't know how long that process is going to take, and so we're trying to see if there are other options for copying and print management besides Omegas for Xerox machines.

There are some fundamental differences between the Omega and iMFP platforms. Essentially, the Omega controls device access, but only tracks copy and delivers print (the Uniprint server actually tracks the print, the Omega is simply an access point for job release). The iMFP platform not only controls device access, but can track copy, scan, and email; and deliver print.

Some like the Omega because it is portable between devices, and Xerox can become Canon can become Ricoh and the Omega stays the same. Others like the iMFP because it is more granular at the device level.

Thank you Scott! in terms of logging in with the iMFP, would it be easier as opposed to the Omega? I like the idea of the iMFP being a bit more granular in that it tracks email, scan, etc.... does it also track printing from USB?

The experience is roughly the same in a card-based workflow, it's just the difference of the LCD screen that gets the user's attention. If they log in using a User ID and password, there's also not a whole lot of difference.

And yes, the Xerox iMFP will track print from a USB stick. Uniprint records the transaction as copy, however, as that is how the device reports that activity to us.

We've added a number of Xerox iMFP's over the last year and have been pleased with the results. We added USB ID card scanners to every one of them so users can enter their account name or scan their ID card, so they basically have the same login experience whether they are logging into an Omega or an iMFP. We charge for print jobs and copy jobs that use paper and "bean count" all other jobs such as scan to file or scan to email. Security can be granular with the iMFP's so you can have secured print and unsecured copy for example. Overall we've been happy with adding the Xerox iMFP's to our existing Omega 200's paired with standard Xerox printers.

So, let me make sure I understand this. You added the iMFP application to the Omega device or directly on the Xerox machines? I've spoken to an admin at one of our sister college sites, and they went with iMFP over Omega. She said it was so much easier and cheaper just going with iMFP, and I assumed this was added directly on the MFD. She also said they don't use the Pharos popup application on the computers. The students/staff just hit the print button on the computer, go to the machine and release their print jobs. I have to say, that Pop-Up app has been a sore subject for me. It doesn't work on a consistent basis, and I've only tested it on Windows machines. I would love to bypass the pop-ups altogether and just do what they're doing. Basically, I don't want to add any more steps to printing than what needs to be done. For some of our departments, all they do is print gobs of stuff and scan gobs of stuff all day long, and time is money to them (this is our financial department) and adding any more steps to printing was met with a very negative response from them. So, this is why I'm trying to explore, other, better ways of getting Pharos deployed to both our students and faculty/staff.

Also, did you guys have any assistance with Xerox or some other company, like Systel to come in and help you guys configure and deploy machines? I've heard Systel helps out a great deal with Pharos compatible systems, but I haven't had that same experience with Xerox.

I do not have an Omega in front of my iMFP's as that would defeat the purpose of the iMFP functionality. It would function like a regular printer. You use the Pharos Management Console on your Pharos server to push the Pharos software onto your iMFP's. You are actually installing software onto your printer and the printer is now its own release station as well as a printer so your users log onto the printer to release their print jobs. They would also log onto the printer for copy/scan jobs if you wish. You will need to remote access the printer to do quite a bit of configuring but it is fairly bulletproof after that. Our university already had a bunch of Xerox printers before we got Pharos, so we had to purchase Omega's for those printers. We have since added a number of Xerox iMFP's over the last year. The granular functionality is very nice. An example could be: I scanned a document and want 10 copies but the iMFP ran out of paper after 7 copies. It will report to the Pharos system that it could only print out 7 copies and the student will be charged for only 7 copies rather than 10.

We are required to tell the students how much their print jobs are going to cost before they can print. This forces us to use pop-ups for all print jobs that go to a Direct Print printer. We are not using pop-ups for the Secure Release print queues as they are notified at the printer before they can print their queued jobs. The students have print accounts so we require some sort of approval from them for every single print job. Staff would be a very different issue and you can have a Direct Print queue set up for them to go to a high capacity print system. Departments can also have a Cost Center assigned to the entire department rather than individual charge accounts.

We use TracSystems. Using a Pharos solution is far beyond what Xerox / HP / etc can do for you.

Thanks for the reply. I figured iMFPs were something that went directly on the machine and not used with Omega devices, just wanted to make sure that was the case. Not sure if we are required to notify our students or not. That's something I'll have to check into with the powers that be. We also use TracSystems for our Pharos needs, but I think Systel actually works within unison of TracSystems (Steven English from Trac might be able to tell me yes or no on that). At least, they know which machines work best with iMFP and Pharos and will help deploy.

You mentioned that you had some existing Xerox inventory that you had to use Omega devices for. I'm assuming these Xerox machines were not compatible with iMFP. Do you know, right off, which model numbers they were? Right now, we are working with Xerox Workcentre 5335, 5855, 5955, and 7855i.

Go to the top of this page, click on Downloads, iMFP supported solutions and you'll get a list of supported printers sorted by manufacturer. I'm about to look at a printer that isn't on the list but it will probably work anyway. Xerox C70.